Anew defender of the faith
Does the classic car hobby need another trade body to lobby for it? Some key industry players think so
A NEW ORGANISATION aimed at supporting all those connected with the old car hobby launched on 23 May. The Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance, or HCVA, has been created by Henry Pearman of Eagle E-type fame in partnership with other well-known figures from marque specialists, auctioneers, importers, dealers and the media.
Emma Crickmay is an advisory board member at the HCVA and joint managing director at Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist Frank Dale & Stepsons. When asked why it was necessary to form the new organisation, she said: ‘We felt there was a space, in terms of a voice for the owners, the enthusiasts for the three million classic cars registered in this country, and for the people who make up the classic car industry in all its forms. There are many great pre-existing organisations in the classic car world but they tend to be quite specific, and we didn’t feel there was a strong collective voice made up of people from different echelons of the classic car world.’
There are indeed other bodies that represent the hobby and its vehicles, most notably the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs. The FBHVC has been around since 1988 and is the UK representative for FIVA, the international body that looks after the interests of historic vehicles. The Federation produces its own research and works with the Government.
As well as the FBHVC, there are the vehicle clubs themselves, some of which represent a whole sector of the hobby and look after organisational roles for motorsport events – the Vintage Sports-Car Club is the best example. Then there are groups formed to encourage the passing-on of specialist trades and skills associated with historic vehicles, such as the Association of Heritage Engineers, the Heritage Skills Academy, and the wider remit of the Heritage Crafts Association. In Westminster, there is the All Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group comprising MPs and Peers ‘to promote and support the continued use of historic and classic motor vehicles in the UK’.
Despite all this representation, a rapidly changing world provides a constant stream of new challenges. One of these has been Britain’s departure from the European Union, as Emma Crickmay explained: ‘Brexit has created some unintended consequences. There’s confusion over the rules on vehicles and parts movements between Britain and the EU. It’s causing what we see as prohibitive delays, it’s costing people money and we want to prepare the landscape for an open-minded approach with legislators.’
The HCVA is open both to trade members and to private individuals, with annual subscriptions starting at £24 for under-25s and rising to £1500 for full trade membership – or £15,000 for a ten-year membership and a seat